The internet of things: The past, the present, and the future (infographic)

About 8.7bn connected objects existed worldwide at the end of 2012, and that figure will surpass 50bn by 2020, according to networking equipment maker Cisco. A new infographic goes further to take a closer look at this internet of things.

The infographic published by SolidWorks on Visual.ly begins by charting some examples of current internet of things technology, such as Google Glass and Smart Belly Trash Can.

Next, a timeline maps key moments in the internet of things, with the creation of the first electronic communication devices in the 1800s to the launch of chip giant Intel‘s ‘Internet of Things Solutions Group’.

The infographic then points out five articles from 2013 about the internet of things, though those interested in the subject might want to check out Siliconrepublic.com’s stories, as well!

A paragraph titled ‘2014 and beyond’ wraps up the infographic, concluding that a fully connected world may be here sooner than consumers realise.